Hell’s Backbone Biscuits

Adjust oven rack to the center of the oven. Heat to 450 degrees. Grease a 9 by 11 cookie sheet or line with parchment or a Silpat. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of cornmeal over surface.

Place flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, pepper, and sugar in a large bowl or in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Whisk or pulse 5-7 times.

If making by hand, cut butter in with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles uneven, coarse crumbs. If using a food processor, distribute butter chunks over the dry ingredients. Pulse 10-12 times, then transfer to a large bowl.

Pour buttermilk over the top of the dough, folding ingredients at edges of bowl into the middle using a rubber spatula. Rotate bowl one-quarter turn with each fold until dough is moistened and sticky, leaving few dry patches.

Turn dough ball onto a lightly floured counter. Lightly dust your hands with flour and gently ease dough into a square shape. With a bench scraper or sharp kitchen knife, cut dough in half and stack one-half on top of the other. Repeat three times, flattening, cutting, and stacking. Add flour if necessary.

Transfer stack to baking sheet. Sprinkle dough with remaining 1 tablespoon of cornmeal. Using a floured rolling pin, roll to one inch thick. Cut biscuits with a knife or bench scraper into 2 by 2 squares. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.